The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-06-11
THE MASSACRE OF PIGEON RoosT.
The Story of a Tragedy Enacted in
Indiana in the Early DAYS.

me story or Tragedy Enacted in
Indiana in the Early Days.
Pigeon Roost, writes Mr. A. w. Tobias in
the Madison Qnd.) Courier, was the name
of a small settlement formed in 1909, and
was so-called from the innumerable pigeons
that roasted in that vicinity. 1t was stu
ated five miles south of Scottsburg, the pres
ent county seat of Scott, and near the beau
tiful stream that bears the memorable name
until this day. At the time of the massacre
most of the men were away from home. In
the afternoon of Sept. 8, 1912, Elias Payne
and Mr.. Ceilings, while out bee hunting
of Vienna, were surprised and killed
by a party of Shawnee war
riors.. Scalping their victims, they
fastened toward the settlement, which they
reached about shutdown In one short hour
one man, five women and sixteen children
were struck dead by the ruthless tomahawks
of the ish'savages. Among the killed
were Henry Ceilings and wife, Mrs. Payne
and her eight children, Mrs. Ceilings and
her seven children, Mrs. John Norris, her
only child and aged Notwithstanding the
aged were spared no more than the infant.
Mrs Biggs concealed herself and children in
a sink hole, until the Indians became busily
engaged in burning and plundering, when
she fed, and succeeded in reaching the resi-
dence of her brother. John Ceilings, son of
William E. Ceilings, had just caught a
horse to go after the cows,
the rein and fled, pursued by the savage,
who was gaining on him, when he heard the
report of his fathers rife, and saw the saw
age fall with the blood streaming from his
breast He succeeded in reaching the house
in safety. There were in the house William
E. Ceilings whom the Indians well knew,
and from his unerring aim named Long
Knife, his two children, John and Lydia,
and Capt Norris. They kept the Indians
soon as it was dark enough for the Indians
TO approach the house without being seen
they would set fire to it and burn them
alive. They therefore decided to risk
the perils of escape. Lydia went
first, then her brother John, followed by
Norris, and lastly Long Knife" As the
latter was passing the corn-crib an Indian
fired at him. He Immediately raised his
gun to return the fire, when he found that
the ball fired by the savage had broken the
lock of his gun. He hallooed to Norris to
bring him the other gun, but Norris was
like the Irishman. "He had brave heart
but q cowardly pair of legs" and they car
ried him away, leaving Ceilings to fight the
Indians alone with a broken gum. When
they crowded him too close he would raise
his gun and pretend that he was going to
fire, and thus brighten them back; for they
knew, from the many shooting matches in
which he came out second to none, that it
was folly to stand before his aim. In this
way he reached the corn field. under cover
of which he escaped.
After plundering the houses the Indians
set fire to them, and most of the dead bodies,
being within the houses, were thus con-
sumed However, some of the children were
pierced by sharp sticks and left sitting
against trees. Their horrib5e deed accom-
plished, the Indians started northward Al
large force of Clark county militia SOON
gathered from the vicinity of Charleston,
which reached tine scene of carnage, where
the smoking remains Of the cabins and
charred bodies presented the most horrible
spectacle they had ever witnessed They
Immediately pursued the savages to the
Muscatatuck, which they found so much
swollen that they could not effect crossing.
and were compelled to give up the pursuit.
They then returned and buried the remains
of the victims in two graves, about enc hum
dred yards east of the j., NJ. and railroad,
and near what is since known as the Pigeon
Roost of Sodon cemetery. AT present there
is nothing to show where the graves are ex-
cept three or four rough stones and large
sassafras tree, which is said to have wit
messed the event, but is now thought to be
entirely dead.